How to Adjust a Loose Jacket

Maybe it's your favorite color and it's fashionable, but if a jacket is too loose to fit your body, it will not look the best when worn. You can change a jacket too big in just a few steps. Using basic sewing skills, change the size of the garment to turn a loose jacket into a tight fit.

1. Turn over the women’s military style jacket and put it on as you normally wear it. Decide how tight you want it to be.

2. Take the fabric from the side seams until it holds the right size. Place pins on either side to hold it in place. Make sure the pins are aligned, either in a straight line or in the curves you want to create on the jacket.

3. Stretch an arm and decide how tight you want the sleeve. Take the excess fabric by sewing the sleeve. Pin a line where you want the new seam to be. Bend your arm forward and back to ensure you have enough space to move. Repeat the process on the other arm, ensuring that both sleeves are the same size when you finish. Take off your warm coats carefully.

4. Sew on the lines with pins on the side and arms of the jacket, either with a sewing machine or by hand. Be sure to make stitches together that will resist use. Remove all pins.

5. Cut the excess fabric by spreading the seams using a pair of sharp scissors. Leave about 0.25 inches (0.6 cm) of loose fabric after the seams. Be careful not to cut the thread.